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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. vault — a safe
  4. object — a thing
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. object — an aim
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. kid — child
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. kid — to tease
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. object — to protest
  18. ball — a dance
  19. cap — a hat
  20. deal — to handle
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. cap — a lid
  24. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com